Given the macroeconomic environment of high inflation today, having a single income stream can feel risky. This is why generating a second income is so valuable, as it provides financial security. And one of the most accessible ways to create secondary income is through investing in the stock market.

Where to start?

While investing requires capital, beginning with small amounts to build a portfolio can lead to big gains over the long term. With this method, consistency is key, and regularly setting aside money to purchase stocks that generate dividends and interest is one way to generate a healthy second income.

Building a supplemental income stream takes patience and discipline. As such, potential investors should start off by getting to grips with the basics of investing in educational resources online or in books. It’s important to understand to assess risk, create a balanced portfolio, and reinvest dividends.

Once comfortable, commit to regularly depositing even small sums into an investment account and invest in dividend stocks. If the right investments are made, investors can see their money blossom into a diversified portfolio bearing fruit through compounding and recurring payouts.

What to invest in?

This then begs the question of which stocks should investors buy in order to earn a second income. Well, certain investments tend to produce more abundant income streams. High-yield dividend stocks pay shareholders a percentage of profits, while REITs pass along earnings from rental properties.

Investors who are more risk-averse may want to focus first on quality and safety when selecting second-income investments. In order to do this, it’ll be wise to research each company’s financial health and prospects before investing.

It’s also important to diversify a portfolio across industries and asset classes in order to minimise the risk of a single industry collapsing.

Owning income-oriented stocks such as Taylor Wimpey or Rio Tinto, which have above-average dividend yields, provides passive earnings that can supplement salaries. Even an extra £100 per month goes a long way towards covering bills, debt payments, and discretionary costs.

But perhaps more crucially, the income can quickly ramp up too. Investing just £500 a month with a 7% annual dividend yield could generate over £500 within the first year. Reinvesting those gains can then grow the portfolio, resulting in higher payouts over time.

Is second income guaranteed?

Generating a second income through the stock market does require consistency, patience, and adequate research. But even so, income isn’t always guaranteed. Markets fluctuate and economic shocks can see companies withdraw their dividend payments as was the case during the pandemic.

Nonetheless, over long periods, compounding returns have delivered growth, and Warren Buffett’s excellent track record backs that up. Plus dividends can cushion volatility when prices sink, potentially offsetting any losses.

Considering the current weakness in the stock market, now could be an excellent time to start investing to generate a second income. After all, a number of FTSE stocks such as miners and banks are currently discounted amid economic and market uncertainty.

The post How to generate a second income by investing £500 a month! appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

setButtonColorDefaults(“#5FA85D”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43A24A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#FFFFFF”, ‘color’, ‘#FFFFFF’);
})()

More reading

• A rare chance to try and turn an empty portfolio into a juicy £40k second income!
• A rare opportunity for discerning investors to build a portfolio of cheap UK shares!
• BlackRock CEO Larry Fink says this is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime!
• I’d listen to Warren Buffett and start buying dirt cheap UK Shares
• Is this the optimal moment to create passive income? Here’s what the charts say!

John Choong has positions in Taylor Wimpey Plc. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.